USB-C charging for electric bikes has arrived with the new Ampler Nova | BikeRadar

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Tired of proprietary chargers? If, like me, you yearn for a simpler life without hunting for specific chargers for specific devices, through a tangled mess of cables, sit up and take note. Ampler has introduced the world’s first commercially available electric bike charged via USB-C.
Forgive me if people already know this, but while the plug for USB-C is universal, the cables are not. You can't just plug any cable into a 45W or 100W wall wart and expect to get the power you need. Every cable has its own rating, and it needs to match or exceed the rating of the charger, or else you could cause damage to the devices, the cable, or even start a fire.
The Nova, Ampler says, can be charged with a regular USB-C laptop charger
Exactly. So we're talking probably 45W+, or else long charge times.
Don't get me wrong, this is a good step away from proprietary chargers, but USB-C is kind of a mess in terms of having a unified or at least clear standard. Inb4 people unknowingly damage their bike battery by using the wrong cable.
- Inb4 people unknowingly damage their bike battery by using the wrong cable.
  it needs to match or exceed the rating of the charger, or else you could cause damage to the devices, the cable, or even start a fire.
  I could be incorrect, but I don't think this is the case with USB-C. I believe fast-charging power bricks are generally able to detect the capabilities of the cable and device to prevent damage.
  
  You're right, but not if the cable is unable to deliver that expected power. If it's rated too low, the wattage will heat up the cable, and you'll get unexpected behavior due to how heat and electricity interact.
  It's possible that the charger or battery might have some way to monitor and mitigate that, but it's not something I would recommend testing on your expensive ebike.
- USB-C is kind of a mess in terms of having a unified or at least clear standard. Inb4 people unknowingly damage their bike battery by using the wrong cable.
  USB in general is a mess, but it's the best mess we've got lol. That said, when I briefly perused the spec a while back, I understood that 100+ W operation requires active validation of the attached cables, to make sure they're built to a higher standard.
  I'm hoping -- ignoring the issue of shoddy or counterfeit cables, which isn't a technical issue per se -- that this should be enough to prevent damage to end-devices. The newest USB PD spec simply hasn't been as widely deployed as earlier specs that were more than enough to charge a phone.
  It will, however, be awesome when one day, an ebike can quickly top-up a friend's phone in the field. But I'm getting ahead of myself, dreaming of an all USB C world.
  
  I'm with you. I hope we get there, too
- Trickle charging is still better than no charging at all, and you would more likely to have a charger that works with you if fast charging is important.
  Also, even 120W USB chargers tend to be smaller than their ebike equivalents with the typical barrel pin connectors.
  
  Oh sure. I'm not saying this is bad, per se, but the author presents it like some panacea, and it's not (yet?).
  
  To be fair, this is probably a voltage difference. The max a PD charger can go is 20V, while some ebike chargers go up to 48V.
Bosch sells its 2A charger (~80w) for $93, and it's still 3x6x8 inches and weighs a pound. If I could use my MacBook Pro 96w brick, I wouldn't have to haul the Bosch charger to work.
I also have a Serial1, and there were no available chargers for a few years.
There is also fire risk when bodegas try to charge many bikes. If the bikes had the BMS and DC-DC on-board, and just used USB-C to get the electrons, we may see fewer fires.
Nice, but 3k ? Jesus
- Wait until you see what the average price for a downhill mountain bike.(non-electric) is.
  
  Ik, but is this a downhill mountain bike ? It isnt, its a city bike. 3k seems excessive. Plus it has such a small battery.
- That might seem expensive, but just to add some context:
  It's made in the EU.
  Has a torque sensor.
  usb-c charging
  includes good tires
  2 year warranty (double what some American brands give).
  integrated GPS and bluetooth.
  other stuff like built-in lights, brand name components, etc.
  $3,000 seems like a great deal, TBH.
  
  Its certain its a good bike, just at a price I dont like. I have a 1.5k ebike with torque sensor, good tires, 2years warranty, built in lights, and made in the EU. Cernainly, it only has a 8 speed dérailleur and no gps/bluetooth, and obv no type-c, but I dont think thats worth 1.5k more. Plus, my bike has a 504wh battery, so longer motor assisted-rides.
sigh...
NOT EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE USB-C!!
We already have barrel jacks and if you want to you can include the transformer with the battery and use an IEC connector to plug it in. There are other standards that are better suited to some things.
If the USB-c bike is 3 grand and the mains plug bike is 1 and a half, you can take your marketing gimmick and shove it.